Kerr Does It Again

By Jeff Collerson
Zipping Kerr, having her fourth Wentworth Park race in 16 days, made light of her workload with a blistering 29.43 seven lengths winning romp on Saturday night.

The Minnie Finn-trained greyhound, who was last away before winning in 29.83 on July 4 and again in her 29.59 victory on Thursday, showed greatly improved box manners to be second with a lap to go.

Although Overflow Jill had raced away with a clear lead Zipping Kerr, renowned for her powerful finish at the end of 520m, was always going to win from there and she hit the front leaving the back straight before careering away, running home in a fast 11.49.


Zipping Kerr gave trainer Minnie Finn a running double as she had taken out the previous race with Might Have Been, another greyhound thriving on plenty of activity.

After clocking a smart 29.66 in finishing second at Wentworth Park on July 13, Might Have Been went to Gosford on Tuesday night and won by 10 lengths over 603m, stopping the clock at 34.37, not far outside Like Wildfire's 33.96 track record.

On Saturday Might Have Been trailed Ferness and Molly On Fire to the half-way mark but headed the pacemaker on the home turn and won comfortably.

Sammy Ethan notched his eighth Wentworth Park win and took his earnings to $49,000 on Saturday night but owner John Fitzgerald described his dog simply as "a good fifth grader.''

Fitzgerald, who named the dog after his grandsons Sammy (18) and Ethan (16) said: "He is no world-beater but he is a very good chaser.

"He is out of Dawn Garrett's former good bitch Vicki's Queen and I had always been keen to buy one of her pups.

"Vicki's Queen whelped a litter to Fernando Bale in January, 2022, and I asked Mark Gatt, who trains my dogs, to help me get one of the pups.

"It turned out Vicki's Queen whelped just two male puppies and when Dawn Garrett sent us the photos of this pair both Mark and I selected the fawn dog which now races as Sammy Ethan, so I bought him when he was eight weeks old.''


Zipping Clampett had been runner-up in two of three recent 622m races at Richmond before breaking through for his first Wentworth Park 520m win on Saturday night.

Zipping Clampett came from fourth at the half-way mark to run down pacemaker Crowded House, winning clearly in 29.89.

Trainer Sam Sultana said later: "He disappointed me in a couple of those 622m races but I still think he is capable of winning over a middle distance and after tonight he might pick up another 520m race at Wentworth Park too.''

Trainer Steve Fitch had to be content with second and third placings with Cumbria Kid and Cumbria Miss behind the Jake White-trained Rebel Ethics in Saturday's Masters event but he took out Saurday's Easy Form Dogs Only final with August Bob.

After leading all the way to win his heat last week in a best of the night 29.62, August Bob began brilliantly on Saturday, reeling off opening splits of 5.38 and 13.76 before comfortably holding off Zipping Duvall in a flying 29.49.

On a night of fast times, Barry Gibbons' Boston Banner ran down Foreign Capital by a half-length to land the final event in 29.52, third quickest figures of the meeting.

Before the first race on Saturday night One Hot Bandit easily won a 520m clearance trial from kennelmate Midnight Spritz, covering the 520m in a scintillating 29.40.

One Hot Bandit, who had been racing over longer distances in Brisbane, was making his first Wentworth Park appearance since mid-May.